ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- Most tourists come to New Mexico interested in the Spanish and Indian cultures. The state has begun promoting a different aspect of New Mexico history -- the 4,000 Union and 3,000 Confederate soldiers who fought here during the Civil War.

Two large battles and several smaller ones were fought in New Mexico territory between 1861 and 1865.

The Glorieta National Battlefield near Pecos was the site of a major battle March 26-28, 1862. The battleground, now part of the Pecos National Historical Park, is one of only three Civil War battlefields maintained by the National Park Service west of the Mississippi.

Confederate soldiers moved into New Mexico from Texas in 1861, hoping to steal military supplies from Union forts and divert gold from Union mines in Colorado and California. Their mission failed, and they eventually returned to Texas empty-handed.

A state brochure maps out the paths traveled by soldiers from both sides and campsites and forts used. It offers visitor information on La Mesilla, Fort Seldon, Fort Craig and El Rancho de las Golondrinas near Santa Fe.

The Glorieta battlefield is currently open only to visitors participating in guided tours. Reservations must be made in advance with the Park Service.

Plans to promote the state's Civil War sites have been in the works for about two years, said Patty Taylor, who designed the state brochure.

"We wanted to honor the dead and honor the brave, mostly men, who were willing to die for their causes," she said.